


NoTP

by Etnoe



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Flushed Romance | Matesprits, M/M, Past Mind Control, Past Relationship(s), Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 08:53:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20273263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etnoe/pseuds/Etnoe
Summary: The man on the moon apparently has a lot to answer for.





	NoTP

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cricket_aria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cricket_aria/gifts).

Handing over the coffee machine goes smoothly. Incredibly smoothly. Tagora is, in fact, now willing to consider that he might actually just be smooth. There's a first time for everything. He'd at least be able to brag about it convincingly to Tyzias, if he weren't constantly chewing at his knuckles a little whenever he imagined his alien friend's expression on being given the gift.

Awed, surprised, grateful ... _excruciatingly adorable_.

He was going to have to mentally upgrade the applicable label to 'alien best friend'.

*

When they aren't together, Tagora keeps an eye on the 'Alien invasion of one'. Sometimes they talk over Grype, too. He sees the incredible leverage of his friend's growing follower count; he notices when certain accounts get genuine interaction, a more personal - overexcited, not to put too fine a point on it - feeling about the responses from his friend.

The thing that makes him hopeful is that the two of them are actually together a whole lot. As the followers grow, as the number of actual friends increased, Tagora's hive still seems like one of the top spots to visit. They talk, they pamper themselves, they even share a recuperacoon one burning midday...

He is being sought out, consistently. Tagora is sure of it. So he finally makes a move.

*

As moves go ... it's worth every caegar.

*

His matesprit didn't have any of the issues about his getting a kismesis that sometimes cropped up in a new relationship. Their visits with each other decreased a little as dates with Galekh started up, but their Grype chats increased. A couple of times, Tagora got little gifts out of the blue, handed over by Tyzias or Tegiri, once dropped by a sythian drone.

One way or the other, he still got plenty that smile that he loved - wry and excited at once, and always spreading across his matesprit's face on seeing him.

*

Eventually the time did come for him to reach out, however. A wipe went by with no word, and that was unusual - maybe his matesprit was visiting that beekeeper kid in the boonies, and the signal was poor? Tagora resolved not to worry too much. He left a few messages and gave it another few nights. After that, he supposed it would be time to brush up on his investigation modules. Somehow, though, he didn't think he'd need that for his very singular alien invasion.

*

The shock of Tagora's life is not when his matesprit reintroduces himself by method of spending 36 seconds going _Uuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh_. He is already aware that his matesprit's moments of brilliance strike like extremely inconsistent lightning with an assertiveness problem; and really, he'd just like to look at him. Though he's long since outgrown the juvenile habit of charging per second for his services and/or a fraction of his attention, he tracks the time ticking by with a smirk; others are watching, after all, and appeareances must be maintained.

What they've learned to do best is pick up each other's cues. Tagora can't wait for that to happen again. He'll get a smirk back that's twice as smarmy, and suddenly they'll be on the same side of a game again, as so many times before, with a still incredible amount of trust in each other.

The greenblood that was introduced as Boldir Lamati steps closer. She looks like someone good to know - he loves what a knack his matesprit has for introducing him to good contacts. This one has to have some detection skills about her.

"As I said before - the news isn't all good. Our friend required a rescue. That happened just a night ago."

Tagora nods - it's a bit difficult to keep up the smirk at that. He does take a step closer, though he doesn't reach out yet - that's better kept to when they're alone. Besides, there is still the damn baby highblood sulking behind a pot plant. Couldn't scandalise the kid.

"Any chance I could sic a drone or two on the kidnapper? Or two dozen. I'm sure something could be arranged."

Lamati gives a sad, biting quirk of a smile, and gestures at the highblood kid. "It's been arranged as well as we could manage it. Quite ... inventively."

Tagora clears his throat. "Good thing you all managed to escape unscathed." He smirks again, lets his eyes run over his matesprit's hoodie. "Although there are some things I wouldn't mind getting more of a scathing."

"We just thought..." Lamati nudges their mutual friend's shoulder. "There's still a concern. That requires something of a warning."

His matesprit looks at him. Stares, and looks fearful. Fuck. What did the kidnapper do? That expression looks like when he was still fresh to Alternia, unjaded and surprised by things around every corner.

"Soooo ... I was thinking about going back to Earth because everything's horrible here and I hate it!"

Yeah, that'll do it. That's the surprise of his life so far.

*

There's nothing there anymore.

*

Tegiri comes and rants at Tagora about sullied bonds of honour, torn asunder, and fucks up his stupid contacts when he cries a little. He doesn't have any gifts.

Tyzias - well, it seems that she's still blessed with attention from the alien re-invasion. Not many of them are, lately, it seems.

The Chittr account is almost completely quiet, chirps going ignored. Grype calls never get picked up. And a ring of the doorbell? Tagora should be so lucky.

Galekh's jaw tics the one time they talk about it, and he looks beautifully stern and stoic. Then he squirms like an awkward idiot, because he misses their once-friend too.

*

Nothing of that softness remains for Tagora. He doesn't get the smiles and the sense of being on the same side. His lusus reverts to half as many pets with poor grace. There's no gossip and no advice; the trust is missing. The little moments.

And then one night. Early. The sun's barely down.

The doorbell rings.

When he and his former matesprit talk, it's a whisper. "The revolution ... it would help take down the, the guy who kidnapped me..."

He looks guilty, and he says: "I do remember. Everything. I know you're not a fighter. But I thought I'd say."

There's still something left to fight for. Not love. But revenge in its memory? Tagora would certainly try.


End file.
